Lily and the Locket
by lili-bella-black
Summary: Lily Potter has a problem. Regulus Black has asked her for help, and now Lily must save his life, and at the same time, save her marriage. What happens when the Horcrux is discovered? And what sudden illness has taken over Lily?
1. The death eater

hey guys! I just want to say a few words about this story- it didn't just write this for fanfiction, but i also wrote it because this is what i believed really did happen. I think that R.A.B was Regulus and i dont think he went to the lake alone. Not even Dumbledore would have managed that. I strongly believe that Lily was involved. And I think I also know how the two way miror was important. This is the story of how.

Dandaleith was a quiet village that late November night. The streets were empty; muggles were simply too afraid to walk about after nightfall nowadays, since the attack on Dufftown a few miles away. The church bells omitted silent screams- piecing the very hearts of the people hiding behind their old country doors. It was too quiet.

Lily Potter shivered and pulled her cloak closer to her body as she walked down the main street. Not due to the cold; she was used to it all by now, but because of the silent magic that swirled about her like the cold Scottish mists. "I'm closer" she thought to herself. She felt her heartbeat quicken and she smartened her pace, feeling the magic edging her onwards towards her goal. She crossed the street and down an alleyway into an old cobbled road. Her heart was now beating so fast, she felt sure the forces lurking in the alleyway would discover her. She heard a quiet sob from behind an archway.

"Caradoc?" she whispered fearfully. "It's me- are you there?"

She stopped in her tracks and strained her ears for further sounds. She gripped her wand more tightly and edged towards the archway. She watched as the shadow of a tall figure was reflected on the wall. She was about to advance on the figure, until she heard a low, angry voice.

"You are nothing but a silly little boy! Do as he commands, or start digging your own grave- there is no other way!"

Lily quickly stepped back from the archway as the man began to stride out of it. A smaller figure stumbled out after him.

"There must be another way! Please, you have to help me! I cannot- I don't want to!"

The taller figure turned on the spot and grabbed the young boy by the shoulders.

"I warned you!" he said menacingly. "But you were far more concerned with the glory you would receive- the hero's title, than the reality of becoming a death eater. I warned you did I not, that you would have to hurt, sometimes even kill innocent people? That if it were requested, you would have to dispose of your friends and family? And now, after all I tired to do to stop you, you come to me and ask for my help?"

"I'm not a murderer!" whimpered the boy. "Don't make me hurt them! Please don't make me! Hurt me instead!"

The taller man simply turned on his heel and began to make his way up the cobbled street, his tall shadow tailing him.

"Snape!" the boy cried. But the tall man had already disappeared. The boy sank to his knees and began to sob. Lily hesitantly took a step forward, raising a lit wand as she went. The boy seemed too despaired to notice her presence.

He was a young boy, eighteen at the most. She felt a strong mix of pity and curiosity as she looked at him- what had Snape wanted with such a young person, and what was this boy being asked to do?

"Can I help you?" she asked kindly, but held her wand at shoulder height in case he attacked- Snape had after all, called him a death eater. The boy looked up in surprise. His surprise however, was nothing compared to the surprise Lily felt.

"Sirius?" she gasped and sank to her knees beside him, putting an arm on his shoulder as she went. The boy mutely shook his head and gaped at her. She raised her wand and looked more closely at his face. He looked tired and ill, like someone who had, had no rest. The boy did look remarkably like Sirius Black, one of her closest friends, but there was no denying that this boy was not him. Lily recognised him as a Slytherin student one year below her. His name was Regulus Black, Sirius's brother.

Without warning Regulus leapt to his feet pulling out his wand as he went. "Sectumsempra!" he cried aiming his wand at Lily. The curse hit her side as she dodged the ray of light. With one hand on her bleeding torso she aimed a curse at Regulus which he avoided.

"Come on mudblood, I thought you were meant to be good at…" the taunt never left his mouth as Lily hit him squarely in the chest with a jinx. Regulus keeled over clutching his stomach- a second later he retched into the gutter.

"You b…" he tried to yell but was forced off the ground by another cleverly aimed hex, and was left hanging upside down by his ankle.

"Stop fighting and start talking."

"I'm not telling you anything!" he yelled. "Let me down before I do some real damage."

"The worst thing you can do is throw up over my new shoes! I'll let you down once you've clamed down."

"I'm not telling you anything!" he repeating, glaring upside down at his captor.

"I think you will." Lily replied calmly stepping closer to Regulus. "Because, you've got no one else to tell!"

"That's not true!" Regulus was furious now. "I've got my family and friends…"

"Death eaters that will sell you're soul to your master if it gained them glory, and parents who would desert you if they even knew we were having this conversation." Lily was now face to face with Regulus.

"I'm never going to tell you."

"I can help you."

Regulus shook his head "No one can."

Lily decided that Regulus was now calm enough and lower him gently back to the ground. Clutching her side she lowered herself next to him.

"Regulus, what are you doing here?" she asked firmly.

Regulus turned his head away. He did not want her seeing him like this. Lily had been exceptionally popular at Hogwarts and consequently not someone Regulus would like to be associated with.

"None of your business Evans!" he snarled. Lily simply looked at him.

"Stop staring mudblood- and get out of here before I kill you!" he got to his feet and pointed his wand at her. Lily followed Regulus's actions and stood up, but lowered her wand.

"Firstly, the name is Potter, not Evans, and secondly you would have killed me already if you had wanted to. I thought you might need some help."

"I don't need help! Especially not from you!" he hissed lowering his wand resentfully.

"You sound just like Snape!" Lily scoffed. Regulus gave a hollow laugh.

"If I had bothered listening to him in the first place, I wouldn't be here!"

"Why? What did he tell you to do?" Lily asked. Regulus stared at Lily as though trying to decide whether or not she could be trusted. Eventually he sighed and bowed his head, realising that he had no one left to ask for help.

"He told me not to join the death eaters! He told me I was too young and inexperienced."

"That's rich coming from him! He's only nineteen!" Lily laughed. She looked at Regulus who now had tears falling down him face. Her face softened. "So why did you not listen to him?"

"Because I wanted to prove to him- to my family that I was someone! My mother and father were so proud, and for once they didn't need to bully me into doing more with my life, because to them I had already succeeded!" his voice shook as he told her this.

"So what changed your mind?"

"I was alright for the first few months, all I had to do was lure muggles into traps, spy on people Voldemort didn't trust. I felt uneasy but the rewards were good so I didn't stop. And then…" he looked away. His shoulders were shaking and Lily suspected that he had broken down. She walked over and put a reassuring hand on his arm. He didn't shy away but found strength from her kindness.

"He asked me to kill Sirius." Regulus turned to look at her. She did not look angry or scared. She did look a shade paler but smiled kindly at him.

"You won't though will you?" she looked at him. He shook his head sadly.

"Why does Voldemort want Sirius dead?"

"I think he just wanted me to prove my loyalty." Regulus replied shakily. "Also to reduce the numbers on your side of the war. But I can't- we never saw eye to eye but I do not want to kill him."

Lily found it hard to believe that this was the same boy she had detested at school. He had been rude, arrogant, cruel and vicious towards his brother. And yet he was standing there before her, terrified and sad.

"What are you going to do now?" she asked.

"Die I suppose?" he said dramatically, raising his arms in defeat. Lily raised her eyebrows.

"Or, we could go to Dumbledore and try to figure a way out of this mess!" she suggested. Regulus sighed slipping his hands into his trouser pockets.

"It's not that simple."

"Isn't it?"

"No. You wouldn't understand." Regulus said harshly turning his back on her and rubbing his brow.

"Fair enough, I guess. But Dumbledore might."

"I do not want to speak to that man!" he rounded on her, his voice rising. "He does not understand!"

"Are you trying to tell me that an eighteen year old boy knows more than Dumbledore himself?" Lily replied calmly. "I'm beginning to think that Severus was right about you after all."

Regulus cursed and glared at Lily.

"If you don't want to help me, then leave me alone!"

"I want to help you Regulus, but you haven't told me exactly what you plan to do now, so my plan making skills are being somewhat limited." Lily cried impatiently.

"I don't know alright? I'm not going to kill my stupid brother! So Voldemort is going to kill me instead, but I have to live because…"

"Because what?" Lily cried.

"Because I know why he is immortal!" Regulus exploded. Immediately he fell silent and looked fearfully around the street in case he was being watched. Lily for the first time looked scared.

"Regulus, listen…" she took a step towards him and lowered her voice. "No one knows that- you can't! You don't need to make excuses, I'll help you!"

"I do know! I will tell you- I just need a few months to work it all out." Regulus explained. Lily looked at him disbelievingly.

"Alright, if you say so! Right now we need to work out how to help you. Where does Voldemort think you are now?"

"At home."

"Does he know that you are planning to desert the death eaters?"

"No but it is only a matter of days. The way my brother parades around in public he's not exactly a hard target is he?"

"Go home. I'll contact you there." Lily said slowly, thinking.

"How? If my parents…"

"I'll find a way!" Lily said firmly.

"Lily please…"

"I promise- I will find a way. You have to trust me."

"Don't tell anyone!" He cried grabbing her wrist. She looked at him.

"I won't say anything until we have decided what to do" she said kindly and patted his shoulder.

"I'll be in contact." She promised. Then she was gone.

Please review- new chapter up very soon! Tonight even!

Love

Lilixxx


	2. The mirror

**_hehe that was quick! hoope you enjoy!_**

"Lily where have you been?" James said relived, the second Lily appeared in the fireplace. "Have you found him?"

"Found him? Who..?"

"Caradoc Dearborn!" James said anxiously, looking for signs that she might have hit her head or got into a fight.

"Oh!" Lily said surprised. "No, no sign." She felt guilty that she had just spent the evening in the company of a death eater, instead of looking for her colleague who had gone missing the previous week. He had after all, gone missing trying to fight the type of people that Lily had now promised top help. She must have appeared on edge because James realised that there was something wrong.

"Lily, what happened?" he led her to a chair and sat her in it, lowering himself to looking into her eyes.

"Nothing" she replied looking anywhere but his face.

"I know you're lying."

"I found a body." She lied still avoiding James's eyes.

"Good God… it wasn't..?"

"No I told you already I didn't find Caradoc! Don't ask me questions if you can't remember the answers!" she said angrily, the guilt leading her on.

"Who's body then?" James replied, trying to remain understanding.

"Just- a body! Some grave robbers dug it up!"

"What did you do?"

"I reburied it! What else was I supposed to do! It's muggle problems, nothing to do with us!" Lily yelled. James looked shocked at his wife's sudden outburst. But then, he concluded, that looking for the body of a friend would be enough to make anybody unhappy. He took hold of her waist to comfort her but let go immediately.

"You're hurt!" he cried, trying to examine the gash where Regulus had hexed her. Lily pushed his hand aside.

"It's nothing, stop bothering me!"

"Don't tell me that it's nothing, you're bleeding!" he persisted.

"I fell on the spade that's all!" she made up desperately.

"Where is the spade now?"

"For God's sake James leave me alone!" and with that Lily got up and stormed off to bed. James decided that he would ask her again when she was in a better mood.

Two days later, and Lily was still desperately trying to think of ways to help Regulus. She had no plans and no one to ask for help, and time was running out. James blamed her erratic behaviour on the fact that Caradoc Dearborn was still missing. It still hurt him to see her so lost. She barely spoke to him and always seemed lost in thought, frustrated with herself as though she should be doing more to help find her missing friend.

"Lily is that you?" James called down the attic stairs.

"What do you want James?"

"Just to see how work was, I haven't seen you all day!" James replied, sounding hurt.

"Fine, James."

"Aren't you going to come up and say hello?"

Lily stomped up the steps to the attic and found James immersed in boxes of old school things.

"Just having a clear out!" he said cheerfully to Lily who was eyeing the boxes wearily. The truth was, James just needed something to take his mind off of things. He was finding it tough coping with Dearborn's disappearance on his own. Lily realised how lost he looked so she sat down with him and started looking through his old books, as though looking for something that would save Regulus's life.

She raised her eyebrows as she pulled a long rod out of one of the boxes.

"Don't ask!" James said hastily looking at the object in her hands. She giggled in reply and began rummaging in the boxes again.

Lily had no idea what half of the things were- probably all tools in the various pranks that her husband and Sirius played at school. At the thought of Sirius her heart dropped- how could she be wasting time looking at useless objects when a young boy's survival depended on her.

She sighed and replaced the object she was holding into the box.

"Hang on!" James said suddenly, looking that the box Lily had just refilled. "What was that!" he leaned over and pulled out a very mouldy blanket.

"It's a mouldy blanket James." She replied without interest. She watched as James unravelled it and emptied it's content onto the attic room floor.

"Nope! It's a mirror!" he stated proudly.

"Wow. I'm so fascinated; in fact, I might just die with excitement! I'm going to go downstairs and write my will in so sure that I'm going to die with excitement." Lily had almost had it with James. How could he be showing off his stupid childhood games while the wizarding world was teetering on the edge of destruction?

"You're right. It's not that amazing." James sighed. Obviously nothing was going to cheer his wife up.

"It used to be though!" Lily raised her eyebrows. "Ever wondered how me and Sirius used to communicate without being in the same room?"

Lily shook her head feeling more and more guilty thinking about Regulus.

"Two way mirror! I had one, he had the other! Worked a treat! The teachers never knew!" he chuckled.

More to keep James occupied that out of curiosity Lily asked "So why is there only one mirror?"

"When Sirius left home, the other one got left at Grimmauld place. Quite a pity, but we coped." He sighed reminiscently.

"So the other one is at Sirius's old house?" Lily asked, now interested in the conversation.

"Yes I think so." James smiled pleased that Lily was now making an effort to talk to him.

"So how does it work?"

"You just say the name of the person you want to talk to in the mirror- providing they have the other mirror of course and tada!"

James stared uncomprehendingly at his wife who now looked more animated than she had done in a long time.

"That's really interesting!"

"There's no need to be sarcastic Lily!"

"I wasn't being sarcastic!" Lily smiled pulling James to his feet and kissing him full on the lips.

"Come on James, we don't want to be late for the Order meeting!"

"I'm very sorry Professor Dumbledore, but it seems that there is little hope for Caradoc." Hestia Jones concluded at the end of her report.

"I understand." Dumbledore inclined his head to her. "Mrs. Potter, I believe you were part of the search team? Have you anything to add?"

"No!" Lily replied very quickly. Too quickly she realised for she added "I have exhausted all leads now. I agree that there is little hope."

Dumbledore seemed contented with her answer. He nodded in acknowledgment and surveyed the group of people sitting in front of him. The order were being picked off one by one. In some ways he felt responsible, but it was all necessary work.

"Before we conclude this session, is there anything anybody would like to add?"

Lily looked around the room and saw Sirius Black raise his hand. Sirius usually shared all of his news with her and James; she was very curious as to what he was going to say.

"I have received news from Great Uncle Marius, that my brother has joined the ranks of the death eaters."

Dumbledore raised his head inquisitively. "Regulus?" he asked.

"Yes." Lily felt her body go cold. If the order knew that Regulus had become a death eater, they were sure to go after him and she had only just figured out how to save him.

please review!

lilixxx


	3. The Secret Meeting

**_hiya! new chapter- hope you enjoy!_**

"I still can't believe it!" James said pacing around his front living room. "I knew he wasn't exactly on our side but I never thought he would actually go over to the dark side."

Sirius sighed deeply "I can't believe he'd be that stupid!"

"And I can't believe you would betray your own brother by telling the order about him!" Lily said furiously getting to her feet and glaring down at Sirius. "He is a year younger than us! He is only eighteen! And now the auror's are going to hunt him down and kill him! Does he really deserve that?"

"How can you stick up for him?" Sirius cried leaping to his feet, towering over Lily. "It's because of people like him that good people like Caradoc Dearborn are gone! He'll never be seen again- like the McKinnon's and the Bones! Did they deserve that!"

"I know it's not nice to kill anybody Lily, but if it was a choice between a good person and an evil one, there is no comparison!" James agreed with Sirius coming to stand beside him.

"Do you honestly think that Regulus is capable of killing innocent people?"

"I honestly don't know anymore- I never thought he would actually become a death eater but I was wrong about that!" Sirius sank back onto the sofa.

"He's eighteen!" Lily was enraged. "He's hardly going to destroy the order with one flick of the wand is he?"

"There is only a few months age gap between Snape and Regulus, and we know Snape murdered Edgar Bone's little son! If Snape can do that- so can Regulus." James sat beside Sirius.

"Then you don't know Regulus as well as you should then- he's your younger brother Sirius, you're meant to protect him, not betray him!"

"What makes you think that you know my brother more than me?"

"That is irrelevant Sirius; he is still your brother!"

"You would have done the same if it had been your sister"

"The difference is that there is no good in my sister, but there is in Regulus" Lily screamed and walked out of the room. The two men listened to the front door being slammed.

"How can she say that?" James looked shocked. "She hates death eaters- and she got on so well with Caradoc, and now she is defending the people who killed him? Defending people who are trying to kill us!"

"I know. But whatever she said, I still know I made the right decision telling the order about him." Sirius replied looking at James. "You're the only brother I'll ever need."

"Love you brother."

"Love you too."

"I can't believe I'm doing this, I can't believe I'm doing this…" Lily paced about the street of Spinner's End, preparing herself for a meeting with Snape. She had got his address from someone she knew in Knockturn alley. She convinced herself that she was doing the right thing, Snape might be a death eater but she did not think that Snape would kill her.

Taking a deep breath she stepped up to the door and knocked twice. She was suddenly aware of how cold it was; the November air drifted about her ankles, sending shivers down her spine. Her breathing increased from nerves and her wand hand was shaking so violently, she doubted whether she could defend herself if Snape got violent.

She heard from behind the door slow, heavy footsteps coming closer and closer. She held her breath and watched the door handle turn.

The heavy door creaked open to reveal a tall man with long, sweeping black robes.

"Severus, before you do anything…"

"Come in Lily" he held open the door and gestured for her to enter. She stepped over the door mat cautiously and looked around.

The house was small and dark with little furniture or comforts. A solitary candle sat upon a table littered with important looking documents that Snape hastily snatched up and crammed into a draw.

"How can I help you?" although Snape did not sound angry or dangerous, Lily noted a harshness that she had not heard at Hogwarts.

"It's Regulus Black."

"I see." Snape raised his eyebrows and sat into a chair with ease.

"We have to help him Severus!" Lily cried kneeling in front of him.

"I warned him and he took no notice, there is only so much I can do without the Dark Lord suspecting anything!"

"He made a mistake joining up, he knows that now!"

"And what do you want me to do?" Snape stared at Lily. Lily looked away.

"I have one idea."

"And that is?"

"I need you to convince Voldemort that Regulus is dead." Lily chanced a look at Snape. He merely sat there.

"And what, exactly, do you plan to do?"

"I'm going to give him draught of the living dead. His family and friends, Voldemort if he needs proof, will see the body and believe that he has died. He then hides somewhere. Maybe until Voldemort has gone."

Snape gave a snort of disbelief at her last statement.

"And why, would I want to help him?"

"You would be helping me too Severus." Lily took Snape's hands in her own, and he did not pull away. "It's the least you could do after all the times I defended you at school!"

"I didn't need your help!" Snape leered and pulled his hands away from her.

"Please, I can't do this on my own!" Lily cried. "You-know-who would believe it was true if you said you killed him!"

Snape looked at her thoughtfully. "If I agree, you must never tell anyone else, and you must leave me alone."

Lily nodded hopefully. "And we carry on as we always do. I am a death eater; you are a member of the order. If I get the chance to kill you, I would, and vice versa."

Lily nodded again. "So you'll do it?"

"You should know, the Dark Lord has asked me to kill Regulus tomorrow anyway- it is obvious that he will not go ahead with killing his brother, which counts as betrayal to the death eaters."

Lily looked into his eyes. "Will you go ahead with my plan?"

"Yes."

"we're doing it tomorrow midday. Just turn up then in Welshpool and go from there." Snape stared. "You'll be there?"

"I'll be there" Snape agreed and showed her to the door.

Lily waited until James was out at Quidditch practice with Sirius before she ran upstairs and locked the bedroom door. She flung herself under the bed and pulled out a badly wrapped package.

She ripped the old rag off of the object and let the dusty mirror fall to the floor.

"Please work!" she prayed silently, rubbing the dirt and what looked like purple toothpaste off of it. When she was satisfied that it was clean enough, she held it at head height and said clearly "Regulus Black!"

For a moment or two nothing happened. Lily was left staring back at her own, scared reflection. Suddenly, the appearance in the mirror changed, and Lily was looking at the handsome face of Sirius's brother.

"Full of surprises you are!" he said wearing a very Sirius like grin. "Have you had any other brain waves?"

"I have as a matter of fact!" Lily smiled and pulled a dusty glass bottle containing a dark liquid, out of her robe pocket.

"And, that is?"

"Draught of the Living Dead." She announced proudly. "Made it this morning!"

"Right, so you're going to pretend to kill me?"

"No, Severus is."

Regulus paled slightly. "Can we trust him?"

"We have no choice, he is being sent to kill you tomorrow anyway. At least this way you have a chance. I'm going to give you the potion, and then take your body from the Morgue. I'll put stones in your coffin or something- I haven't figured it all out yet. And then you have to go into hiding."

"You're plan doesn't seem very rigid." He said looking weary.

"Regulus, you're being hunted tomorrow, they want to kill you! The important thing is to get you out of the way and then work out what to do! I promise, I'll do everything I can to help you! You have to trust me!"

Regulus looked at her green eyes and sighed. "Ok. I trust you. What do I have to do?"

"Just be in Welshpool tomorrow, at Midday. Just spend some time with your mum and dad tonight. It will be Ok."

"See you then Lily."

"Goodnight."

PLEASE REVIEW! THANKYOU!

LILI

XXX


	4. The murdered and The missing

Lily awoke at half ten the following morning. It was a moment before she realised why she felt so cold and miserable. If she made a single mistake today, it would cost at least one person their life.

"Morning sleepyhead!" James walked in with a breakfast tray laden with porridge and tea. "Thought you might want something to eat, with the day you've got ahead of you!"

Lily sat up so quickly that her heard began to spin. "What do you mean by that?"

"We've got duelling training at the ministry today! You haven't forgotten have you?"

"What? Oh! No, of course not!" Lily laid back down and shut her eyes. She had to get out of the training somehow in order to get to Welshpool at Midday. "Actually James, I'm not feeling that well!"

"Lily, this is important! We can't miss it!" James put the tray down at the foot of the bed and leaned over to feel her forehead. "You don't feel like you have a temperature."

"So? If I'm not feeling well I can't go! I've escaped Voldemort once already; I don't think some little man with a stick in his hand is going to teach me much more!" Lily said frustrated.

"But still… if Dumbledore says that it is worthwhile then I think we should make an effort! It's got to be better doing something than nothing at all!"

"I…do…not…want…to…go!" Lily said slowly through gritted teeth glaring at James.

"Then I'll stay with you! You need looking after!"

"I'm not three! For God's sake James! You go, I'll stay. Like you said we should be making an effort! It won't look good if neither of us turn up!" Lily cried.

"I'm just tying to be nice! Maybe you should try it; you have been really harsh lately!" James stood up from the bed. "I know you're upset about Caradoc disappearing and all that is going on but you don't have to take it out on me! We're supposed to be there for each other, not fighting one another!" he said and walked out of the room. Five minutes later he grudgingly yelled a farewell up the stairs and left through the front door.

Lily waited until she was sure there was no one in the house. She scrambled out of bed, knocking the porridge to the floor in the meantime. She rushed to the dresser and pulled the closest robe over her head, knocking all of her other items of clothing to the floor in the process. She ran into the bathroom and washed her face and teeth, and pulled her long red hair into a messy bun, so that it kept out of her eyes.

She leapt down the stairs two at a time, pausing at the bottom, only to check that the dusty dark bottle was still in her pocket, and that her husband's invisibility cloak was where he left it on the banister. She picked it up and stuffed it hastily into her pocket, accidentally knocking over a glass on the side as she did so. Water and glass flew everywhere, but Lily had no time to notice and she rushed into the sitting room.

James always had a habit of not putting things where they were meant to be, and Lily spent a frustrating three minutes, searching for the floo power, wrecking the room as she went. By the time she had disappeared into the fireplace, the sofa's had been upturned, the stuffing knocked out of the cushions, the coffee table was flung against the wall, and several more glasses smashed.

James arrived seconds after she had departed to check on her. He felt extremely guilty about the way he had spoken to her that morning; she was after all, still grieving for her friend. He was devastated to find the house empty, with no note. He walked from room to room, searching desperately for his wife, pausing in each to look at the damage. His heart rate quickened, and he felt sick. The last time he had seen a house in such a state was when he arrived at Caradoc Dearborn's house, just one day after he had been kidnapped by Voldemort. He sank to the floor, when his shaking limbs could no longer support him.

Lily walked out of the fireplace of an old cottage situated in the centre of Welshpool. She knew that she was only minutes away from the market place, where she supposed the death eaters were going to gather. But that was all the time she had- a few minutes.

She brushed off her robes briskly and ran out of the door, not caring whether the housekeeper heard the intruder or not. From her robes she pulled the invisibility cloak which she hid herself under, and the small dusty bottle.

Her pace quickened to a sprint as she heard the church bells chiming. Midday was fast approaching, and the market place was still two streets away.

As she ran, she uncorked the bottle, praying that she was not too late, that she would reach the young Black in time.

She turned the corner, and the market place came into sight. What she saw sickened her. The market stalls were upturned and on fire, and a group of people in long black cloaks and ghostly masks were standing together in the centre. Muggles cowered behind their burning stalls and in their doorways, too scared to run or call the police. "Where is Regulus?" she thought desperately looking around. Still invisible, she ran blindly into the market place and up to the death eaters.

Praying that none of them noticed her presence she checked to see that they were not hiding him. Satisfied that Regulus was not yet with the death eaters, she ran to the other side of the square to check that he was not hiding amongst muggles.

Twice she ran around the Market place, searching frantically, and trying to avoid being caught by the death eaters. Once or twice she overheard them questioning Snape's information about Regulus's whereabouts. Lily noticed Snapes eyes move quickly over the crowd several times, as though looking for a sign.

Finally when the church clock announced that the time was a quarter past Midday, she decided that there was no other choice. She walked boldly but quietly up to the group of death eaters. Snape was on the outside, which made things easier for Lily. She reached out with an invisible hand and placed it on Snape's shoulder. She felt him tense, but he said nothing.

Gently, Lily increased her pressure on his shoulder and pulled him backwards so that Snape was standing a small distance away from the others. Luckily they did not notice this move.

Leaning forward, Lily whispered into his ear. "It's me! I can't find him!"

Snape inclined his head and then walked forward, breaking contact with Lily as he went.

"He is hiding from us! We must divide and search separately!" he commanded to the gang of death eaters.

"Little Snapey is telling us what to do?" a masked women laughed scathingly.

"Have you any other idea's Bella?" was the reply. The woman fell silent and stalked off down one of the alleyways, her wand aloft. The others soon followed suit and disappeared though narrow arches, and down side roads. Snape turned on his heel and walked back down the road Lily had arrived on. As he went, his arms brushed against Lily's and she decided to follow him.

Together they walked down the winding road and then left at the end. They came to a tall brick wall, which sheltered some muggle recycling bins.

Snape scanned the area quickly and then said discreetly; "He is here, I had to hide him before the other death eaters could kill him."

Lily looked around and realised that he must be hidden inside of the bins. She watched as Snape walked over to the furthest one and removed the lid. A second man, young and hansom emerged and lowered himself onto the ground beside the bin.

"The potion Lily, and hurry. The others will be here any minute." Snape commanded quietly. Lily rushed forward with the bottle and lowered the hood of the cloak.

"It will be Ok, I promise. I'll see you soon." She said comfortingly and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She handed the bottle over to Regulus who after one final look at Lily, downed the contents.

Lily and Snape watched and waited for the potion to take effect. They would hear footsteps further down the road, coming ever closer. Snape turned and roughly pulled the hood over Lily so that she was completely invisible. He took hold of her roughly by the shoulders.

"Lily, you must leave. Go back home and tell no one that you were here." He said.

"But the body…"

"The body will be taken by the authorities and placed in a morgue somewhere until the burial; you will have to steal it back. There is no more you can do here." Snape replied forcefully and pushed her backwards.

Lily hesitated; the footsteps behind her were getting louder.

"Go!" Snape hissed, and Lily began to walk backwards. In the moments before she turned and ran, she saw Regulus lurch forward, clutching at his heart. She backed up against the wall and let the death eaters run past, hoping that the process was now complete, and that Regulus was now seemingly dead. She heard the satisfied cackle of the woman death eater and realised that the potion must have worked. Without further hesitation she ran back to the old cottage to floo back home.

She exploded through the fireplace and toppled into the sitting room floor. Within seconds she was being pulled roughly to her feet and pulled into a tight hug.

"You're alive!" the deep voice repeated over and over, rocking her back and forth. She was surprised to find the house occupied, as James was not meant not be back for another three hours.

She pulled away from the man and saw that it was James, looking relieved and tearful. She had never seen James cry before, and immediately began to worry about what had gone so awfully wrong to make him so upset. She looked around the room and saw both Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were also there, looking thoroughly shocked. Remus and Sirius sat on the sofa on the other side of the room looking relieved, and there were also two official looking wizards standing by the door looking confused.

"What's wrong?" she cried clasping the front of James's robes. "Has someone died?"

"We thought you had Lily!" Sirius had stood up and was walking towards her. "Where the hell have you been?"

"I'm not dead!" she said shocked and confused as to what had made them think it.

"I came home to check on you, to find the house deserted and wrecked! I thought that they had come after you!" James gulped through tears, holding onto her more tightly.

"You all thought I had been taken?" Lily asked amazed.

"Where were you?" Sirius demanded. He looked angry now. "James's has been though hell! We were worried sick!"

"I'm sorry!" she gasped. "I realised that I had a hospital appointment and had to leave quickly!" she lied desperately.

"So why destroy the house in the process!"

"I was in such a rush I didn't realise! And then I couldn't find the floo powder so…" she trailed off looking at the faces of the people in the room.

"The important thing, is that you are safe." Dumbledore said finaly, getting to his feet and gripping Lily's arm comfortingly. "I shall see you all tomorrow."

One by one, the guests left, talking little and avoiding Lily's eyes. Finnaly James and Lily were the only ones left.

"Are you feeling better?" James asked hesitantly not looking her.

"I've felt better" she replied looking at her hands. "James I'm so sorry!"

"I'm just glad you're ok." he said placing an arm around her shoulder uncomfortably, leaving Lily to wonder what was happening to Regulus now, and when the wizarding world would discover his death.

PLEASE REVIEW! I ONLY HAVE TWO REVIEWS:(


	5. The illness

**Hey guys, sorry this is a bit of a boring chapter, but the next chapter will be better! **

**Fleurdelacour33, Lily Hermione Potter and Dominus513- i hope you like it! weirdness- im into weird too yay!**

**highserpantking- thanks! It's more of a theory than a story, I just wrote it in story form to get people to read it. It's kind of what i thought happened, because the mirror and RAB is important, Regulus couldn't have gone on his own- even Dumbledore couldn't, and Lily Potter had a huge secret to be revealed in the next book, and i think the potions thing was important- hence the draught of the living dead and JKR's emphasis on it. I know most people don't agree but it makes a fun story to write and hopefully to read as well!**

That night had been one of the worst nights of Lily's life. Sirius and Remus had returned later that evening to check on James. Neither of them spoke or looked at her. Even James was refusing to look her in the eyes, as if she was a constant reminder of the pain she had caused him.

The next morning was barely any different. An exhausted Lily walked into the kitchen around ten o clock and found the tea pot empty, and James reading a book.

"Morning" she called, hoping for a reply. James nodded his head in reply and continued to read the book.

"Coffee?" she asked refilling the kettle. James merely raised his already full cup to indicate that he was fine. When the coffee was made, Lily sat down hesitantly on the other side of the table to James.

"James?"

He raised his eyebrows but continued reading none the less.

"Please James, I am so sorry! It was only a misunderstanding!" Lily pleaded. James said nothing.

"I never meant to hurt you! I didn't do it on purpose!" tears began to leak out of Lily's eyes. When James continued to ignore her she began to get annoyed. "If you were so upset that I had supposedly died, then why are you so angry that I survived?"

James slammed the heavy book onto the table and looked at her.

"I thought you were dead. Misunderstanding or not, for over one hour, I thought that my wife, the most important person in my life, had been murdered. No matter how sorry you are, it will never change the fact that for one hour I thought that my life was over. You can never change that."

Lily looked at him, shocked by his words. James looked away and picked up his book again.

"Is there anything I can do?" she asked. James shook his head and pulled the book higher to cover his eyes. They sat in silence for several minutes, giving Lily time to think.

When Regulus's body had been found, she would have to wait until the day of the funeral when they would seal his coffin. That way, when she swapped Regulus's body for something or someone else, no one would know. She would then wait until Regulus recovered and woke up to decide where to hide him next. She wondered if his parent yet knew, or how Sirius would react when they found him.

Her thoughts were interrupted by an owl tapping on the window. Lily jumped at the opportunity to get away from the table and ran to let the owl in. She untied the newspaper from its leg and placed several coins into a small pouch on the other leg. She sat down when the owl had taken flight and unfolded the paper. As she had expected, the front line proclaimed the death of another death eater.

Although the "Daily Prophet" blamed the entire group of death eaters, and not Snape personally, Lily knew that her plan had succeeded. As she read on she discovered that the body had been discovered twenty minutes later by ministry officials who had been aware of strange activity in that area, an hour prior to that. The body had been found with no physical damage, the signature symptoms of the killing curse, and with the dark mark leering in the sky above the street. The article concluded that there would be a small funeral attended by bereaved family members at the end of the coming week.

Torn between relief that her plan had worked, and anxiety of what was to come, she re-folded the paper and laid it in the middle of the table to resume her morning coffee.

"Have you finished with this?" James asked her awkwardly gesturing to the newspaper. Lily nodded in reply and waited to see James reaction.

James stiffened as he read, and she noted a slight frown forming across his handsome features. As he finished he sighed heavily and placed the paper on the table in front of him, staring at the face of Regulus Black, which was the centrepiece of the article. After two minutes he stood up abruptly and walked over to the fireplace.

"I'm going out." He said shortly and helped himself to a handful of floo powder.

"Where to?" Lily inquired curiously. James turned his back on her and was about to step into the bright flames, when another figure stepped out.

"Sirius!" James exclaimed placing a hand to his chest in surprise. He recovered almost immediately. "Are you alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Sirius replied almost too casually. James did not pick up on falseness in his friend's voice.

"Sirius, in the paper this morning…your brother…" he began awkwardly.

"Oh that!" Sirius replied waving an impatient hand. "As if I care!"

Lily could tell that he did care very much. He looked tired and sad, and the smile on his face looked painful. She knew he and his brother never got on but she recognised a certain bond that even she felt for her horrid sister Petunia. James must have realised that Sirius was not being entirely truthful.

"You must care to some extent." James placed a comforting hand onto his shoulder. Sirius shrugged it off and looked James fiercely in the eyes.

"I've told you before James. You are the only brother that I will ever need."

James looked at him uncertainly, but decided to let it lie and offered Sirius a coffee, who accepted too cheerfully. Lily was pained to see Sirius so falsely happy. She would much rather have him yell, lash out, blame her for his pain, rather than keep it to himself, leaving her to suffer in silence too.

As he sat down, Lily attempted a greeting but was ignored.

"Sirius…please talk to me!"

Lily felt sick. She realised that she had neglected herself over the past few days. She had been so consumed in helping Regulus that she hadn't eaten and barely slept. Feelings of nausea and exhaustion crashed over her in waves and she found herself slumped over the table, too weak to support herself any longer.

"Lily?"

"Is she alright?"

"Is she breathing?"

"Guys, I'm fine… I need some space!" she began to feel sicker as the two men moved closer, making her feel claustrophobic.

"What's wrong?" James bent down to her level and she noticed that she had moved to sitting on the floor.

"I just need… I don't know! I feel sick!" she whispered, shaking like mad and hunching over. James rubbed her back comfortingly. Despite the urge to throw up, Lily quickly took advantage of the situation. "James, I'm really sorry, you know I'd never want to hurt you."

James sighed and pulled her closer. He rested his head on her shoulder. "I know, love, I'm sorry too."

"So that's it is it?" Sirius said with a dry laugh. "She puts you through hell, and then pulls a sickie so you let her off?"

Perhaps it was the fact that the heat from James was making her dizzy, or the fact that Lily hadn't eaten or slept in days, she suddenly threw up. James did not draw away but held the hair out of her face. He looked up at his friend.

"Pulling a sickie eh?" he said sarcastically. Sirius looked guiltily at Lily who was an ugly shade of green.

"I'm sorry Lil" he said kneeling down to her level and looking into her eyes. "I think you should go to bed, you don't look well at all."

Lily nodded in agreement, too tired to argue and allowed James to carry her up the stairs. When tucked up in bed with a glass of cooling water beside her, Lily told James that she would be fine, that she only needed rest. She waited until he had gone back downstairs before unfolding the paper.

Despite the fact that her head was pounding and her eyesight swimming in and out of focus, she concentrated on the minor details of the newspaper article. She wrote down that the funeral would be in Hammersmith, London at the end of the week at midday. She decided that she needed to get to the morgue twenty minutes before hand in order to steal the body and fill the coffin with a heavy substitute. That way, Regulus's family would not bury him alive.

Until then, Lily had to concentrate on recovering. She would be no good to anyone if she was too tired to walk. She decided that the best course of action until the end of the week would be to curl up in bed with a book for company, and not dwell on the dangers ahead.

_**coming up- Lily has to steal the body back, but there is a suprise guest at the morgue! And James discovers the truth behind her mystery illness...**_

_**PLEASE REVIEW! I DON'T HAVE MANY- IT MAKES ME CRY :( danku!**_


	6. The Coffin

**tada! sorry for the delay my boss has gone phsyco with shifts! But it's here and the chapter after is in progress! Enjoy!**

Friday morning arrived in no time at all.

Lily Potter sat in bed with her husband lying next to her, watching the room grow steadily lighter. In a few hours, she would leave her home, telling her friends and husband that she would be visiting her family when really she would be walking the countryside in search of a dead animal. She would then transport it to Hammersmith in London to swap Regulus's body with before the funeral guests would arrive to bury it.

After Regulus was safely out of harms way she would apparate to Nidderdale in Yorkshire, to Caradoc Dearborn's deserted house where she would leave him until the effects of the draught of the living dead had worn off.

"It's foolproof" she told herself over and over the previous days, however, now it was time to put her plan into action she began to doubt herself.

She picked up a book from the bedside table and began to read, to take her mind off of the task ahead.

"What are you doing?" James asked groggily from beside her.

"Reading" she replied turning the page. She continued in silence for a few minutes before closing the book and replacing it on the table.

"I thought it was rubbish too." James grinned sleepily. "All that mushy stuff made me want to puke!"

Lily looked at James. To be honest, she hadn't been reading at all. She was once again going over her plan, checking for loopholes or miscalculations. She supposed that it was due to worry that she was suddenly overcome by a wave of nausea.

She had grown so accustomed to these waves of sickness that she had taken to keeping a bucket by her bed. She turned quickly and slid off the bed to use it.

"When I said it made me want to puke, I didn't mean literally!" James exclaimed leaping out of bed and rushing to her side. He put an arm around her trembling figure and pushed the hair out of her eyes.

"Lily, love, I think you should stay home today." He said soothingly. "Visit your family another time."

Lily shook her head and leaned closer to her husband. "It's not healthy to stay cooped up in a house for too many days. It will do me good."

"I don't think so. You're no where near better; I'm going to owl a healer when we go downstairs for breakfast."

She sighed. It wouldn't do any harm.

"I'll see the healer, but I'm still going out. Gran knows better than anyone how to look after me. You can't beat her tomato soup!" she smiled hopefully.

"Not too sure about the soup love!" he laughed "But if you're sure you're up to it!"

"I'm sure! Besides I feel much better now" she replied, but was once again overcome with a feeling of nausea. When it passed, she stumbled into the bathroom for a shower while James went downstairs to get the breakfast on.

When she came back downstairs, she found James scribbling on a piece of parchment.

"I'm just owling the healer" he said when Lily gave him a questioning look. "And there's a package for you on the side, came by muggle post."

"Oh, it's just my um… new book on the Tudor Rebellions. Can't beat them Cornish rebels!" She forced a laugh as she picked up the package, feeling the familiar shape of the mirror underneath. She carefully opened the letter attached to it. It was from Regulus, he had sent it to her before the "murder" so that it wouldn't be kept at Grimmauld place. She placed it on top of the cupboards so that it would not be found.

"There must have been quite a few rebellions for a big book like that!" James laughed folding up the parchment and tying it to the leg of an owl.

"Yeah, a real rowdy lot those Tudors!"

She sat herself down and began to pour herself a coffee, trying to ignore the feelings of nausea and worry.

"Are you alright?" James asked her, sitting down opposite and buttering his toast.

"Fine." She replied quickly, adding a smile.

"Nothing you want to tell me?"

"No." James was watching her closely so she reached over and took his hand. "I'm really fine. Everything is going to be great. Really great."

James still looked suspicious but resumed buttering his toast all the same.

At half past ten, Lily put on her coat and kissed James goodbye.

"Are you sure you're ok?" James asked for the thousandth time.

"Yes!" she replied exasperatedly. "I'm much better now!"

"You threw up five minutes ago."

Lily shrugged her shoulders and stepped out of the house.

When she reached the end of the road, she checked that no one was watching, and she apparated to an old country road. The old farm house in the distance told her that there were animals nearby.

She walked desperately from one field to the next, through groups of cows, sheep and pigs but they were all alive.

"Why can't there just be a dead one?" she cried in frustration. She needed an animal to replace Regulus's body, but didn't think she had the courage to kill one.

She looked hopelessly around the animals, some contentedly chewing on the grass, others sleeping blissfully.

Disgusted with herself she drew her wand out of her pocket and turned it to a small calf, asleep in the corner of the field. It was about the right size, and if it was asleep it wouldn't know what was happening.

Knowing this didn't prevent the waves of guilt and nausea washing over her in tides. She took a deep, steadying herself before uttering the evil words.

"Avada Kedavra."

The calf started but did not have time to rise from its sleeping position. Appalled by her actions, she turned and retched.

After a few minutes, she realised that the morning was nearly over and she had to get to Hammersmith. Her watch told her that she had forty minutes until the funeral guests arrived to collect the body.

Gulping for breath she staggered over to where the calf lay and placed a hand on its leg.

"I'm so sorry" she whispered before turning briskly, apparating the calf and herself to the busy outskirts of central London.

She landed in a dark, dusty alleyway. She stood up and looked about her.

The sound of cars and trains from the nearby road were muffled by the dense, grubby buildings surrounding her. The smell of petrol and burned rubber filled the air, and the sky was thick with smoke.

She walked to the nearest building and hoisted herself up onto a bin in order to see through the window.

In the dim light she could see rows of coffins, lying side by side. She was in the right place.

Balancing on the side of the bin, she opened the window as far as it would go and pulled herself up onto the ledge. Checking that her landing space was clear she jumped and landed with the thud on the floor.

She winced as the pain hit her body. Trying to ignore the shooting pains in her feet and stomach, she looked desperately around for a way to get the calf in. There had to be a door.

Even by her wand light she could see that the only way to get Regulus's replacement into the room was through the window.

Checking her watch, she discovered that it was nearly half past. In a moment of desperation, she pushed one of the tables with a coffin on it, over to the window.

The coffin was huge, with a large gold plate in the middle, with the name "Florence Mariner".

"Sorry Florence!" she whispered to the coffin before climbing on top of it so that she would reach the high window.

Leaning out of it, she summoned the calf with her wand. She watched in repulsion as the dead animal came closer, its head lolling to the side and its legs hanging limply.

It reached the window and Lily pulled in its upper body with difficulty. Abandoning her wand she took hold of the animal's two front legs and pulled until the animal was nearly through.

Standing out of the way, on one side of the coffin, she pulled the rest of the animal into the room.

It fell and landed with a sickening crack. The impact of the animal knocked the coffin with Lily on top of it into the floor.

It was a few seconds before she remembered where she was. She sat up with difficulty, pushing her body up with the trembling arms. She looked around and realised that the coffin was lying upturned a few feet away.

Knowing that time was wearing thin; she went to stand up but found her legs obscured by a mound of heavy material. In frustration she kicked the material off of her legs and scrambled to her feet, clutching her stomach as she went, pain sweeping through her body. She looked down at the bundle of material on the floor and realised with the thrill of horror that it was poor Florence.

Fighting back the urge to throw up again, she raised her wand and levitated the mangled body of a middle aged woman back into her coffin. When the coffin was in the same position it had started in, she hastily walked around the room to find Regulus.

She found it in the corner, a small shabby wooden box, with a small brass plate. Hands shaking she lifted the lid and gazed down at her friends face. He looked dead. Pale and still, and for a full moment she even considered that Snape had actually killed him.

She stepped back and raised her wand, guiding Regulus's body over to a dark corner where she crouched down over him.

She pulled a light, silvery bottle from her pocket and removed the cork. Trembling she emptied the contents into his mouth.

"Wake up Regulus! I can't put the calf in by myself!" she whispered desperately, shaking her friends shoulders. If the effects of the draught of the living dead didn't wear off soon, then Lily would struggle to get him out of there in time.

She suddenly realised in a moment of horror that footsteps were making their way down the alleyway. She listened as they walked around to the back of the building where they stopped. She listened in terror as the sounds of a door being forced open reached her ears.

Panicking, she removed her cloak and wrapped it around her friend to hide him, and then realising that there was no where left to hide, she climbed inside his coffin and closed the lid.

**yay! I know I said last chapter that this chapter would say the mystery guest and about Lily's illness, but I didn't expect this chapter to be so long, so it's in the second part, but most people have guessed anyway. So think of this as half a chapter or something! The other half is being writen!**

**Love**

**Lili**

**xxx**

**ps please review?**


	7. The Visitor

**A huuuge thankyou to the reviewers- I'm not joking when I say it made my day! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

Lily listened in quiet horror as heavy footsteps slowly made their way over to her coffin. The last time that she had checked her watch, she still had twenty minutes, so she hoped that the funeral arrangements hadn't changed, that the funeral party had arrived to collect the body.

As the footsteps came ever closer, she could hear a mans voice, muttering the names of the poor souls in the coffins. Finally he stopped.

"Regulus Black", he said. And to her dismay, the man appeared to have found the body he was looking for, as he did not walk any further.

Ignoring the pains coming from her stomach and up her back, and strained her ears to catch a glimpse of what the man was saying.

"I'm not going to miss you Regulus." She heard. "The only reason I am here, is because I feel sorry for you."

She hoped that this mans conversation with Regulus's coffin wouldn't last long. She guessed that she now had only fifteen minutes to pull the calf into the coffin, and clear the area.

"I always wondered why you turned out how you did. I used to think it was all your fault, but the family have to take some credit for it. Encouraging you to hurt muggles and mugglebornes, and congratulating you on becoming friends with known death eaters and their families."

"I'll never forget the time you smiled at a muggleborn on the platform to school on your first day, I don't think I have ever seen father so mad, except of course, when I ran away from home." The man gave a dry laugh and sighed.

"I'm not, of course, invited to attend the funeral, not that I would anyway. As far as I'm concerned we're not brothers. I don't even know why I'm here." The man sighed.

"I just wish I had done more to discourage you from taking the route you did. I should have done more. If I had, you might not be here now! For that I'm sorry."

Lily realised that the man speaking must be Regulus's elder brother, Sirius. As much as she was pleased for Sirius making an effort to say goodbye to his supposedly dead brother, she felt a pang of frustration.

She needed him to leave, so that she could complete the last stage of her plan.

For minutes she lie in silence, knowing that time was slowly ticking away. She could hear slow breathing from beside the coffin, telling her that Sirius had not yet left.

"Please let him leave, please let him leave!" she prayed, and for a moment, she thought her prayers had been answered. From beside her she heard Sirius stand up abruptly and quick footsteps away from the coffin. But from inside her cramped box, she did not hear the muffled footsteps making their way around the building.

It was not until the large door swung open that she realised that the funeral party had come to collect the body. It was too late, and she was going to be buried alive.

If she jumped out of the coffin now, her plan would be rumbled and everyone would know that Regulus was alive. James would probably leave her, Snape would be killed for his involvement and Voldemort would kill Regulus once and for all. But she couldn't stay in there could she?

Suddenly, she heard a huge commotion from across the room. Someone was yelling and a woman screaming.

"My head!" was all Lily could hear. The commotion got further away until she could hardly hear it.

Before she could decide whether or not to open the coffin lid, someone did it for her.

"Lily? It's me"

"Regulus?" Lily looked up at her friends face, and felt herself being hoisted out of the coffin.

"We haven't much time" he whispered and walked briskly over to the calf. "You have to help me!"

"What happened?" Lily questioned walking over to join him.

"I tuned my mothers hair into snake." He laughed hoisting the front half of the animal up. "Don't think she liked it much. They've all gone outside in a panic."

"How will we get out?" Lily asked lifting the back legs.

"Window."

The pair struggled over to the coffin and pushed the dead calf into it and shut the lid.

"Will it work do you think?" Lily asked.

"I don't want to wait to find out." And with that he grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the window. "I'll help you up first."

"No, you go first, if I get caught here, it won't be as bad as you getting caught." She waited until Regulus had a firm grip on the window ledge before pushing his legs up.

"Now you" he said when he was safely on the top. He took hold of her arms and pulled her up towards him. Being lighter, this was easy, except by the time Lily was next to Regulus, she could barely move for the pain.

"What's wrong?" Regulus asked his face full of concern.

"My stomach, it really hurts" she moaned clutching her abdomen. "I don't think I can move!"

"You have to!" Regulus cried and put her arms around his shoulders. "I'm going to jump into the alleyway, but I've got you. Hold on tight."

He jumped but the impact of the landing hurt Lily so much that she turned over and threw up.

"We're nearly there!" Regulus panted desperately pulling Lily to her feet. He grabbed her arm firmly and twisted quickly, transporting her to a North Yorkshire village.

"A few more steps Lily!" he said encouragingly and walked her to an old country house. He opened the door and they went inside.

"That Caradoc had good taste!" he said cheerfully, but his smile faltered when he noticed his friend clutching her stomach and bent double.

"You need to get to a healer."

"But I can't leave you!" she cried desperately.

"You have to, I'll be fine!" He said soothingly. "I have food, water and shelter, and you can send me the mirror in a few days. But you won't be good to anyone like that!"

"I can't apparate." She said breathlessly.

"Take some floo powder, and get to St. Mungo's that way."

"I need James. I'm going to go home." She gasped, dragging herself towards the fireplace and grabbing a handful of floo power."

"Stay in contact, let me know you're ok." Regulus said patting Lily on the back. "And thankyou" he added. She gave him a weak smile and walked into the fireplace.

She tried to ignore the swirling and green flames as she was delivered home again, but as she stumbled out of the fireplace, she collapsed onto the floor, fighting for breath and clutching her agonising stomach.

"Lily?" said a panicked voice. In her dizzy state of mind, she had no idea who it was. She allowed herself to be picked up and placed on the sofa.

"Has she been like this all morning?" said a new voice.

"No, a bit sick maybe, but nothing like this!" said the first voice again. She blinked and her husbands face came into view.

"James?" she asked shakily.

"What happened?"

"I don't know, I can't breathe, my stomach- it hurts so much I can't breathe."

"Tell me when it hurts" said the second voice and she saw it belonged to a middle aged woman with dark hair and healers robes. She began to prod Lily's stomach. Lily cried in pain as the healer touched the skin on her lower abdomen.

"That would be it then" she heard the woman mutter and she took out her wand and began to perform long, complicated charms over her stomach.

To James's surprise and Lily's bewilderment, a gold mist began to grow from her stomach, brightening the room. With a small nod, the healer cleared the mist and began to search through her bags until she found a small glass bottle containing a luminous orange liquid.

"Drink this quickly" the healer advised, and Lily obliged, downing the small bottle in one gulp.

In a matter of minutes, the pain subsided, and her breathing became regular again.

"Are you alright?" James asked looking at her.

"I think so, I don't know what happened!" Lily replied sitting up slowly and gingerly testing her stomach for pain by pressing it slightly.

"You were extremely lucky" the healer said sternly. "A few more minutes, and you would have lost the baby."

"What baby?" Lily and James asked simultaneously.

The healer stared at the look of shock and disbelief on their faces.

"You didn't know you were pregnant?" she asked Lily who shook her head numbly.

"Well you are, so I'd advise no more strenuous activities. And I would also recommend you coming into the hospital for check ups and advise, you know where to owl I presume?" and with that the witch stepped into the Potter fireplace and disappeared, leaving two, very happy people behind her.

**Tada! Next chapter up soon! Please review and let me know what you think!**

**Lili**

**xxx**


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